Controller for knitting machine



Nov. 25, 1958 F. c. wlEslNGER 2,851,443

CONTROLLER FOR KNITTING MACHlfNE Filed July 9, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lll51') HH om Soo 1N VENTOR.

E BY FREDERICK CwsfNeER A TTORNE Y Nov. 25, 1958 F, c. WIE-:SINGERcoNTRoLLER FOR KNITTING MACHINE 5 SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 9, 1957 Mig ATTORNEY INVENTOR. FREDERICK C WsmGER CONTROLLER FOR KNITING MACHINEFrederick C. Wiesinger, Feasterville, Pa., assignor to Wildman JacquardCo., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 9,1957, Serial No. 670,734

8 Claims. (Cl. 66-155) This invention pertains to controller means forknitting machines which knit through various phases of a cycle and whichrequire changes only at spaced, short intervals in said cycle, and moreparticularly, to means for arresting the action of certain of thecontroller parts except when there is need for its function.

It is a general object of the invention to improve the operation of aknitting machine'of the type described, to render its action more silentespecially when running at higher speeds and to increase the life ofcontroller parts some of which have heretofore become worn ratherquickly even though the need for their function has been limited to onlya very short part of the complete knitting cycle.

Other objects will become apparent from the following, more detaileddisclosure.

Knitting machines such as that of United States Patent 2,082,127 areemployed for knitting articles such as sweater blanks, for example,during which the knitting cycle is changed at frequent intervals, forexample, to change yarns being fed, to rack the dial, to etect transferof stitches from one set of needles to another, to change stitch length,knit separation courses, etc. To time these changes and effect them inproper sequence a controller unit such as that of the patent above citedor United States Patent Re. 23,554 may be employed.

The machine itself is preferably provided with two speeds and changesare usually effected at low speed. The knitting is carried on at ahigher speed and thus the controller unit is designed to operate at thelower speed, generally speaking, and, if practicable, it would bedesirable to stop the function of all its parts at all other times. Ofcourse, cessation of all movement is not possible, but the patternadvance is stopped and thus there is no selecting function completed,but that part of the mechanism by which a selector lever is caused toimpart its selection through to other members has continued to operateand at the high speed knitting, wear and noise occasioned have been veryannoying.

According to the instant invention, these undesirable characteristics ofthe prior art are overcome and motion of the controller parts is limitedto rotation of certain gears and shafts all of which are balanced andfunction more or less idly, but at the most do no more than to advance apattern chain thereby to control the general cycle.

This chain comprised of differentiated links has for one function thecontrol of stopping and starting the drum and pattern and also,according to the invention, effects certain changes which bring about acessation of movement of several other parts. As will be described indetail, the parts which do continue in operation are incidental tocontinued operation in properly timed relation to other parts. Themechanism may always be stopped and then restarted in such a way as tobring the controller and pattern into action with all parts properlysynchronized. Y

The invention will be set forth in greater detail by ice reference toone specific form the mechanism may take as illustrated in theaccompanying figures of drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to atypical knitting machine.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the controller unit.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts as seen fromthe opposite side.

Fig. 4 is a right hand end view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a section taken at line 5 5, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 isa left end view of part of the mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of certain parts at the left hand side of thedevice.

Fig. 8 is a section taken at line 8 8, Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken at line 9 9, Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a section taken at line 10 10, Fig. 6.

Now referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the controller unit is Ycommonlymounted on a bracket 20 bolted to the lower part of a knittingmachineframe and comprises among other parts, a slotted guide member generallyindicated by numeral 21 within which are guided for vertical movement aplurality of selector bars 22 each of which is urged downwardly by meansof one of the springs 23 attached to a hooked or other portion of thebar and also to the outer end of a spring anchoring member 24. As shownmore clearly in Fig. 2, the unit also comprises certain frame sidemembers 25' and 26 within which are rotatably mounted several differentparts of the device. At 'the front a shaft 27 is rotatable inappropriate bearings in the forwardly directed frame parts Z8 and 29.This shaft has fixed thereon a slotted drum 30 similar to that shown inpatents above mentioned and having at its ends sprockets 31 and 32adapted to maintain properly aligned with the drum a paper or other moreor less continuous type of pattern indicated by letter P and havingdifferently disposed groups of perforations 33 punched therein, theseperforations aligning with the slots in the drum for a purposehereinafter to be explained. This drum has sixteen slots and the shaft27 has carried thereon beyond the bearing 28 a Geneva wheel 34 whichwith its hub 35 is maintained in an adjustable, fixed position by meansof certain devices at 36 well known in the trade since the same formparts of the well known circular Jacquard type knitting machine. Thedisc 34 has provision for sixteen movements when advanced as will beexplained, one movementcorresponding to an advance of the drum andpattern throughout one slot or one row of perforations.

A plurality of selector levers 37 are pivoted at 38, Figs. 2 and 8, andthese levers formed as shown have spring pressed pins 39 adjacent theirouter Vor relatively free ends, the pins being adapted to drop through aperforation and to enter a slot in the drum so that when advancedthroughout a selecting movement, the drum will carry selected leversforwardly since each of the levers is slotted as at 39. These levers areguided within each of the selector bars 22 and each of these bars is l,adapted to be engaged by the upper surface of its respective leverwhenever that lever is selected and is then moved upwardly to thedot-and-dash line position of Fig. 8.

As shown in both Figs. Zand 8, a rocking lifter bar comprising atransverse bar 40 fixed to the ends lof arms 41 and 42 is adapted to beswung about shaft 38 since the said arms are pivoted thereat. The arm 42also carries an upper follower 43 and a lower follower 44, each of thesebeing engageable by certain cams. The upper follower 43 is engaged onits cam 4S while a complementary cam 46 acts upon follower 44 so thatthe arms and the transverse bar 49 tied together as a unit, areperiodicallyY 3 swung to and fro so long as all of the mechanism is inoperation. This transverse bar 40 is so positioned'as shown lin Figs. l,3 and 8 that if a lever 37 is not selected,

thebar uponritvs upwardniovementmerelyswingsinto .a

with the drum and pattern beingmoved step by step at v each of1whichrsteps l onemor morelofthelevers 137 may befselected and movedrearwardlyNwhereuponthose that are selected are immediately engaged by-ythe upwardiy moving transverse b ar Attendere A elevated Ato completetheir intended fundtioii, Allfofthe-leversj37 are urged by means ofsprings 4t?n toward the frjontaof the -unit, that it, in a direction vtoassume a non-selected position. To

make that function positive, an( eccentric'49jis continuously rotated inorder to press againstthe rearmost parts of the levers so that nojonejmay stick/'in position and thereby cause unintended selection of ia barand, of course, the diiculties which would beforthcoming if that shouldhappen. n

The swinging arm pivoted onshaft 3S as described has a dependinglportion U in which'is set a wire or other arm 51* to which is connecteda tensioned spring 52 which normally tendsto Vreturn theparts to alowermost position. However, since. the cams 45 and 46 are complementarycams there is no need for the spring 52 except that it tends .to keepthe mechanism biased in the direction of `maintaining vthe' follower 43tightly against earn 45 at all times'. 'that reduces noise and wear.

Now referring to Figs. 2 and 3,y a sprocket l535 is mounted at the outerend of a studshaft 54 fixed in the frame side member whichstud shaftalso carries several. other parts including a large Geneva Wheel 55' anda disc 56 separated by a centrally disposed spacing portion 57. A gear58 is alsofreely rotatable on stud shaft 54 and is driveniby meanshereinafter to he described. The sprokct'SS, also loose on the studshaft, is looked tothe" gear 53 byfmeans of a plungerv 59 capable ofbeing withdrawn by the thuri'b grip 66 but normally spring pressed intopositionto lock the sprocket iii any one of sixteen different angularpositions. This sprocket carries chain f6.1 which is the pattern chainabove mentioned and which has normaler lovglinksV andalsohigh links 62,these being adapted to affect a follower 63 in `a manner and for apurpose hereinaftertqbr desfibsd- Now having described several shaftsand the parts on them, the imanner in whichthese parts are rotated willbe explained: The drive is taken from any convenient moving part'oftheimachine-proper,here a miter gear 64 fixed to a shaft (not:shownlwhich is connected to the machine'ringgear forlcontinuous'rotation. This gear 64 meshesfwith `a second miter vgear 65integral with a hub 66 and spur gear 67, these being free to rotate on adouble width gear 72, both'ofthese being free on a cam-V shaft v3. T hemechanismdescnbed to this point has been 'found in the prior art,` butfromthisPFint on thel drive'providesfor stoppingthis cam shaft `at highspeed operation, but bringing it back in at low speed, that is, whenVchanges are to be eiecte'd.

This rotation of gears 71 and 72 may be imparted to shaft '73 through asliding, dog clutch 74. This clutch hasl a tooth 75 which vis ycaught bya tooth 76 on gear 72 and is slidably-Vkeyed` tothe'shaft by key 77.second' tooth78 is adapted to be engaged against a xed man 19 which is apart of a plate sa adjustabty bolted to an endmember Sl'in turn attached'to plateV 82e);-A

4 tending up from horizontal frame piece 83, Figs. I, 6, 7, 9 and 10.

The teeth 75 and 76, when engaged (clutch to the' right), drive throughto shaft 73 at the end of which are keyed cams 45 and 46. When theclutch is moved to the* left the drive s broken and the shaft andcamsare stopped as tooth 78 contacts that at-79. Thus the parts are posi@tively held against rotation as soon as the drive is dis-- continued andas there are only single teeth'at either endT of the clu'tc'h, it canonly be picked upagain'in 'a properlyl timed relationship.- The slotsatY the plate 80 permit ani angular adjustment of the tooth 79 to stopthe parts at' the proper position.

As shownin Figs. l, 2, 7 and 9, al shaft 84 has freely rotatable andslidable-thereon, a long hub S5' on which are cut two gears 86 and 87and a ange S8. This hub also mounts a switch cam S9 having a V-shapedpoint 9i). Thev gear 86 is driven by gear 72 so Vthatthefhub as rotatescontinuously.' YItdrivesY bac'ktlto'ugti gear 87 5to 'a Ydouble'length'cd l'gea`r"91' freeV oncarn shaft 73" and, as seen in Figs. Zand7, tha'tdrive is carried on through an intermediate vgearv 92 to Vapinion 93 fastened' to eccentric shaft 941 The flange 88 engageswithinfa groove 95 in the dog clutch 74 and endwisernovement 'of the hub85 'effects a similar movement'of the dog clutch.` Two posts 96?' and 97move verticallyin 'the base or frame member $32!' Post 97'is longer andattaches by a hinge pin' 98 to va` lever'9'9i L A .leverll is Ypivotedat 101 and connects' hy its .slotted ends andpins 102 and 103 tothepostsv softhat as one is moved upwardlyg'the other moves downlwar'dly.and vice versa. switch carri point '90"to 'move thehub endwise on' itsshaft. When pst is contacted bythis cam the hub andfunctionally."'integral partsfare moved to the right inthe 4figuresand'that'eieetstwo changes. First'a pin 104 set'in gear 87 is positionedtoast upon the Geneva wheel 34 to advancezthedrumand"pattern one stepfor eachrotation of the hubjgor clutch 74.` Also, the latteris pulled totheright; Fig.2, and the `-teeth 75 'and 76" engage to startrotationjofk thecam shaft'73 and thusthe 'action of the vlifter' bar*40; rotated Yat all times anyway.

Since the shaft V94`is thuscontinuously rotated, it serves' as' acrossdriveto parts 'at theopposite'side of the unit- At that end'of the'shaft a diskltlrcarrying a pin106fA is fixed; That pin stepsGenevawheelS5 ahead one notchy at each revolution' of the ldisk.y Then'- that wheelthrough:

disk156 Aand a pin 107* advances a Geneva wheel 108= free on shaftV 94and also integral' with'a gear 1(99.v "-Thef latter meshes'with'and'drives `largegear 58 and, of c'ourse` the sprocket 53 toadvance the chain.

It is to be understood-thatjeach Geneva wheel anditssA driver areconstructed as usrual'so thatthe wheel locks" when not being.y advanced.I The chain linksact upon a followerlt, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, which througharm; Y 4pivotedfat 11-1` in bracket.u

112, actson a link 1134v to raise' or lower an arm 114.. Link 113 isconnected'at 11S to arm 110' fand at 116 to ar'mm114.

This arm 114 has a notchedend .which bearsunder the adjacent'end ofV the.lever199, Figs.4 3 and 4. A spring. 117 pulls these parts downwardlytoward a stop screw..

118fhy which an Vadjustmentmay. be made.'Vv

This farin`114'alsoaiects a switch '119' and other parts to changehfromhigh' tolowi speed Tand .vice versa;`

VWhen' on low links of the'chaim-themachiue is` running.A

at high speed and post 97`s elevate-d. Thatmeans that These serve in.conjunction with" The eccentric 49y is rotate smoothly and do notinvolve much by way of noise or avoidable wear.

At a high link on the chain the follower 63 is lifted and the machine`drive is changed to slow speed. Also the post 96 rises and shifts thehub to the right. Pin 104 then starts the periodic advance of the drumand pattern. At the same time clutch 74 moves to the right and the teeth75 and 76 pick up the shaft and cam drive where left so that the bar 40may elevate a lever or levers 37 which are selected at each step.Corresponding bars 22 are also raised to perform a known function andare later to be released in known manner.

The drum and pattern are timed to advance just before the levers havebeen lowered enough for their pins to strike the pattern.

When the change has been completed, the follower drops 4from a high linkand the parts change to their high speed relationship. Of course, thiscycle may lbe repeated as often as is necessary for the completion of aknitted article.

The gear ratios, number of levers and bars, the number of slots in adrum and for each Geneva motion may -be altered to suit each individualsituation. The extent and makeup of a pattern card and of the chain 61are, of course, variable to a great extent and may be set up accordingto the particular cycle of knitting desired to be followed.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to beunderstood that the inventive concept may -be carried out in a number ofWays. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precisedetails described, but is intended to embrace all variations andmodifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and thescope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a controller mechanism for knitting machines, the combination of aslotted drum over which van endless strip pattern having patterndetermining indicia is passed, sensing means for reading said indiciaand for transmitting the dictates of said pattern to means to becontrolled thereby, a means for imparting a step by step movement to thedrum and a swinging motion to those sensing means selected at each step,and other means for starting and stopping said drum and for renderingactive and inactive the means Ifor imparting said swinging movement inaccordance with active and inactive parts of a cycle through which saidcontroller means functions.

2. In a controller mechanism for knitting machines, the combination of aslotted drum over which an endless strip pattern having patterndetermining indicia is passed, sensing means for reading said indiciaand for transmitting the dictates of said pattern to means to becontrolled thereby, a means for imparting a step by step movement to thedrum and a cooperating movement of those sensing means which have beenselected at each step, and means including a second pattern means forstarting and stopping the drum and for rendering active and inactive thesensing means which includes shiftable means adapted to be clutched anddeclutched in accordance with the active and inactive parts of a cyclethrough which said controller means functions.

3. In a controller mechanism for knitting machines, the combination of aslotted drum over which -an endless strip pattern having patterndetermining indicia is passed, sensing means for reading said indiciaand for transmitting the dictates of said pattern to means to becontrolled thereby, Ia means for imparting a step by step movement tothe drum and a cooperating swinging movement of those sensing meansselected at each step, shiftable means for starting and stopping saiddrum and pattern, and a second means responsive to that for stopping andstarting the drum and pattern for rendering active and inactive themeans for imparting swinging movement to the sensing means.

4. Mechanism as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for swinging saidselected sensing means comprises cam and follower means and in which ameans for rotating said cam means comprising a clutch movable to twopositions in one of which it establishes a driving relationship and inthe other of which it locks said cam means against further movement.

5. In a controller mechanism for knitting machines, the combination of aslotted drum over which an endless strip pattern having patterndetermining indicia is passed, sensing means for reading said indiciaand for transmitting the dictates of said pattern to means to becontrolled thereby, a means for imparting a step by step movement to thedrum and a cooperating swinging movement of those sensing means selectedat each step, shiftable means for starting and stopping said drum andpattern, and a second means responsive to that for stopping and startingthe drum and pattern for rendering active and inactive the means forimparting swinging movement to the sensing means, said means forstarting and stopping the drum and pattern and rendering active andinactive the means to impart swinging movement comprising continuouslyintermeshed gearing yand clutch means capable of engagement in only asingle driving relationship.

6. In a controller mechanism for knitting machines, the combination of aslotted drum over which an endless strip pattern having pattern`determining indicia is passed, sensing means for reading said indiciaand for transmitting the dictates of said pattern to means to -becontrolled thereby, a means for imparting a step by step movement to thedrum, a lifter bar and a cam and follower means to impart motion to saidlifter bar for raising those sensing means selected at each step, saidmeans for imparting movement to the drum comprising a Geneva mechanism,means to render said Geneva mechanism active and inactive, a clutchthrough which sai-d cam and follower means is driven, a single toothconnection between said clutch and cam drive means, and a means betweensaid Geneva mechanism drive and clutch for coordinating the action ofthe two.

7. Mechanism as dened in claim 6 wherein a single tooth stop is furtherprovided for stopping and holding said clutch and cam and follower meansin a denitely timed relationship between active phases of the cycle.

8. Mechanism as `defined in claim 6 wherein a pattern means is providedfor determining the stopping and starting points of the parts duringtheir cycle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re.23,554 Miller Sept. 30, 1952 1,653,207 Gordon Dec. 20, 1927 2,082,127Sirmay June 1, 1937 2,395,823 Hayhurst Mar. 5, 1946

